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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Vivian Arend is celebrating the One Year Anniversary of her Granite Lake Wolves series. The first book, Wolf Signs was released by Samhain on March 24, 2009. I too am celebrating an anniversary along with Vivian as Wolf Signs was the first Ebook that I purchased. Congrats Vivian!

From Vivian Arend:

When I started reading romance ebooks I went into werewolf overload. It was like an addiction took me by storm—one shot and I was hooked—literally, my first ebook was a werewolf romance. I had read paranormal and fantasy before, but I think there are times and places in our lives that things happen for a reason, and having the wolves call to me was one of my special moments.

Like any addict, I feed my habit regularly—starting at Ellora’s Cave and then moving over to Samhain where I purchased every book that remotely mentioned werewolves. Slowly a group of common denominators began to emerge. The secretiveness in most groups. The clan loyalties and pack hierarchy.

And most of all, the soul mate. While having the hero repeat MINE in all caps or italics at regular intervals reduced me to hysterical giggles, the concept intrigued me. I’m a firm believer that there is such a thing as falling in love forever, with the right person, but I think it takes more than pre-fated chemicals to make a happily ever happy. More about that in a minute…

When I started writing I took my favorite parts of all the werewolf legends and tried to make a world uniquely my own. Since I also loved the ‘mind speak’ ability of many wolf books I’d read, I knew I had to have that element. That’s where the spark of inspiration for Wolf Signs came from. What if someone who was deaf could suddenly hear again? In a very special way?

Book two was about a hero who had grown up in the human world and now tried to balance his wolf reality with his human morals.

And book three? In Wolf Games both the hero and heroine know they are wolves. They know shortly after the start of the story they are mates, and they still wait to complete their mating. To me, the real love is shown in how hard Erik and Maggie work at their relationship in spite of knowing they belong together forever. As a married woman, that’s the kind of love I need to live out everyday.

I hope you enjoy Erik and Maggie’s love story, and you enjoy visiting the Granite Lake wolves as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.

Excerpt:

Erik caught sight of the women as they strolled down the boardwalk, one of them swaying from side to side. He laughed quietly. He’d have a set of slightly tipsy females to keep an eye on while they soaked. The youth from his pack traveling with him played off to the left in the cold pool section of the natural hot springs. Splashing and hooting and the sounds of carrying-on filled the air.

Wolves—they were such children.

He waded through the water toward the deck. The woman on the right looked familiar. Petite, blonde, youthful features. If she’d been hugely pregnant he would have sworn it was Missy, the Omega for his pack, although she wasn’t the kind to get falling-down drunk. It appeared he was about to meet his reason for driving south sooner than expected. It had to be Maggie weaving toward him.

He watched with growing concern as the women’s forward motion slowed. It wasn’t just a tipsy ramble anymore, something seemed wrong. Erik grabbed the edge of the railing, wondering if he should offer assistance.

“Oh shit, help, someone. Damn it. Help.” The brunette waved her arms, the frantic motions drawing his attention to the other woman as she wavered on unsteady limbs. He leapt out of the water, droplets spraying from his body to soak the worn boards underfoot. Long strides carried him down the boardwalk just in time to be able to catch the blonde before she collapsed.

His world shifted three feet to the left.

Shocks—like small electrical connections—registered where their bodies touched. Trickles shot through his limbs and up his spine. Tingling. Snapping. Oh hello, it felt completely and wonderfully right.

“Thanks—she’s been getting dizzy and I didn’t want her to collapse and hurt herself.” The dark-haired woman kept rambling, but the entire focus of Erik’s attention centered on the beautiful female he held in his arms. He turned and walked back to the water, taking the steps while still cradling her close.

“What the hell are you doing? She’s passed out. She needs to recover and—” The friend followed him down into the pool, tugging at his elbow.

“—stay warm. Don’t worry, I’ve got her.” Erik had no intention of letting her go. Ever. But that probably wasn’t what this other woman wanted to hear. He settled on one of the submerged benches scattered through the natural pool and rearranged his mate in his arms, her head resting on his chest. The sensation of her cheek on his bare skin made his whole body react.

His mate.

To learn more about Vivian and her books, please visit her at Vivian Arend

In honor of both Vivian's Anniversary and mine, I will be giving away 3 ebook copies of Wolf Games. Please leave a comment below answering the question "What is it about the werewolf genre that drew you into reading?". The contest is open internationally to all who comment. You do not have to follow my blog, but if you decide to follow you will get an extra entry into the contest. Please make sure to note that you have become a follower.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at Noon CST. The winners will have 72 hours to contact me via email (maria63303@gmail.com) to claim their prize with the headline "Wolf Games Contest". It will be your responsibility to contact me. If the prizes are not claimed by the deadline, new winners will be choosen.

19 comments:

I also like how they can speak in each others minds. My favorite aspect is the total commitment to each other. I know you get that in other genres of romance, but with the wolf I feel like it will be respected. It's so easy to throw away the relationship over petty jealousy but when you read about the wolf you know they will fight for each other.

Hi Maria. I was attracted to the werewolf genre because the heroes are strong alpha males that are devoted to their mates. I love that you know that below the surface danger lurks. :)I am now following your blog.

Hi, Maria! I don't know why I didn't know about your blog! Following you now :)

As for what drew me into reading weres, I'm not sure that I started with wolves; it may have been another kind of shifter. I like the idea that a person is more than what s/he initially appears, and it's fun imagining one's wilder side having a concrete personality and physical expression as an animal. And as others have mentioned, some of those animal characteristics are very attractive in people, too!

I think what drew me first to the werewolf genre was the forcefulness of the Alphas. But it's a forcefulness tempered by the desire to protect their mates and packs, which is a lovely combination. I keep coming back to the werewolf genre for that reason along with the fact that werewolves are just darn sexy! lol

I've always liked the werewolf genre for as long as I can remember, I like that they're incredibly loyal and protective of their mates and pack, but the thing that really draws me to the genre is the secret vulnerability of my favorite wolf alphas.

The fact that their need to love and to be loved is so incredibly palpable that I feel it as my own, plus I just love reading about werewolves in general!

My first ebook was a werewolf story too, it was wonderfully erotic, with a contemporary storyline that was so out of left field, but had me totally hooked by the end.

I love the fireworks between strong and sexy characters, they are just so darn entertaining. The alpha characteristics just go so perfectly in a shifter storyline. Their possessiveness, loyalty, and off the charts sexiness gives us some very memorable heroes and their stories fill up the majority of my favorites shelf.

i like werewolves honstly i am a huge horror fan and the whole shape shifters are awesome tho i do not like the twilight saga but in new moon how they did the werewolves was awesome but i love vivian's work its awesome i am now following you awesome post

One of the things that drew me to reading the werewolf genre is the relationship between mates. Knowing you have found your soul mate and will be with him/her for as long as you live is so romantic. I love how protective and loyal the Alpha male is towards his mate and pack. I find werewolves vastly appealing! :)

I love the werewolf genre because they tend to be "family" aka pack oriented. The alpha male's main responsibility is to his pack, to keep everyone safe and sound. The pack is his number 1 responsiblity and nothing will change that.

I loved the excerpt and put it on my tbb list. As to what drew me to werewolf stories, the ability to change forms and to be another living being. To separate from human pain. And the pack as a family, so you know you are not alone

Hey Maria,Why didn't I ever know you had a blog? Anyway I have become a follower, before I read about Viv's book, so I didn't just join for the contest ha ha.I too love shifters but I love them all. The wolves are strong and very smart and warm and fuzzy with thier thick, I could cuddle in this fur. I like them to turn into wolves not scary wolfmans like the recent movie.Zina

I am a follower now and I have read the first one in this series it is awesomeI think being able to turn into a wolf and run would be too cool. thanks and God blessanna howelpistolbritches1@hotmail.com

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